Officiating Throwing Events

DEFINITIONS
1. Trial – an attempt in a throwing event (each competitor is allowed a specified number of trials.)
2. Flight – a round of trials for a group of competitors in a field event.
3. Qualify – earn the right to participate in the finals
4. Foul throw— a throw which is counted as a trial, but NOT measured because of rule violation.

GENERAL RULES FOR THROWING EVENTS
1. In championship meets, the games committee may provide implements and require all competitors to use them.
2. Warming-up shall not be allowed in any throwing venue until supervision by a coach or official.
3. Each competitor shall be allowed three preliminary trials, plus three in the finals. In meets with limited entries, the games committee may allow all competitors just four total trials.
4. Three (3) preliminary trials shall be taken in flights of 4 to 12 in the order contestants are listed for competition.
5. The order in which contestants take their preliminary trials is determined by the games committee.
a. If weather or other conditions results in unfairness, referee may alter the order of trials.

6. With prelims, the general rule to go to the finals is to qualify one more competitor than scoring places. Competitors must have one legal throw in the preliminaries.
7. In preliminaries and finals, the event judge may allow successive trials to accommodate an athlete in another event.
8. Contestants shall report promptly to the event judge at the designated location when the event is announced.
a. They have one minute to complete a trial after their name is called or charged a trial.
9. The time limit to be excused for another event is determined by the games committee.
10. Measurement shall be made with non-stretchable tape, such as fiberglass, nylon, steel, or scientific measuring devise. For records, recommend that a steel tape be used.
11. Breaking ties for any place use the 2nd best throw; still tied, use 3rd best throw, etc.
12. At the conclusion of any field event there shall be no further practice and implements shall be removed from the area.
13. To obtain a better grip, competitors may use chalk, adhesive, rosin or similar substance.
14. Officials may place projecting lines (2” wide and 8” long) lying on diameter extended and outside the circle for the purpose of indicating the back half of the throwing circle.

RULES TO FOLLOW DURING EVENT (SHOT PUT AND DISCUS)
1. May enter the circle at any point; exit from the rear half; under control. Start from a still position.
2. You may touch only the inside edge of the band of the throwing ring; may not touch the top of the stop board.
3. Any part of the body may extend over the band, provided they do not touch the ground outside the circle.
4. Both prelims and final throws count towards best throw.
5. If throwing implement lands on a sector line, it is a foul throw.
6. Must not leave circle until implement has touched the ground or judge calls “mark”..

SHOT PUT

Legal Put: Shall be made from with the circle and shall land within the prescribed sector. A legal shot shall be made from the shoulder, with one hand only, so that during the attempt, the shot does not drop behind or below the shoulder. No harness or mechanical device attached to the hand or arm shall be used. (For indoor meets only, a shot consisting of a
shell of rubber or plastic center filled with lead pellets may be used.)

Sector: The games committee may designate the sector to be used. The standard sector has lines extended from the center point of the circle on lines through the ends of the toe board (65.5 degrees). A 40 degree sector or a 34.92 degree sector may also be designated. The 34.92 degree sector will be the only sector allowed beginning in 2007.

Measurement: From the nearest edge of the first mark made by the shot to the inside edge of the stop board nearest such mark, measured along the extended radius of the circle.
Measurements shall be to nearest lesser ¼ inch . Readings will be at the circle so that the competitors will immediately know their results. Every throw will be measured! Exception will be foul throws.

Foul Puts: Not measured

1. The competitor, after stepping into the circle fail to pause before starting the put, or touches the circle, not including the inner face of the stop board or band, if one is used, the ground
outside the circle, the top or end of the stop board with any portion of their body before the throw is marked.
2. The competitor, after having completed the put, is not under control, before exiting through the back half of the circle.
3. The shot lands on or outside the sector line.
4. The competitor drops the shot outside the circle, after entering the circle.
5. The competitor fails to complete his/her attempt within one minute, after being called.

DISCUS

Foul Throws: Not Measured
1. The competitor, after stepping into the circle, fails to pause before starting the throw, or touches the circle, not including the inner face when a marking band is used or touches the ground outside it with any part of his/her body before the throw is marked.
2. If the competitor, after the throw, is not under control, before exiting the back of the circle.
3. If the competitor drops the discus outside the circle after entering the circle.
4. If the discus lands on or outside the sector line.
5. If the competitor fails to initiate a trial within one minute after being called.

Discus Sector: A discus event conducted on the infield of the track shall use a 40-degree or a 34.92 degree sector, and the cage shall conform to the 40-degree sector. Outside the track may use a 60-degree sector. The 34.92 degree sector becomes the only sector allowed beginning in 2007.

Measurement: measure every legal throw.
1. Measurement is from the nearest edge of the first mark made by the discus to the inside edge of the throwing circle. Nearest such mark measured along an extended radius of the circle.
2. Measure to the nearest lesser inch(1”) or even centimeter, using a non- stretchable tape.

Throwing aids: Taping of any part of the throwing hand or fingers shall not be permitted unless there is an open cut or wound that must be protected by tape. Taping of the wrist is allowed. Gloves are not permitted, however support belts may be worn. Chalk and similar substances are allowed.

JAVELIN

In the Javelin the foul line shall be marked with white marking material or white metal plastic, or wood band 2 3/4” inches in width. If using a band, top surface to level with throwing sector.
The runway for the throw should have a minimum length of 120 feet, and shall be marked by two parallel lines 13’ 11/2” apart and terminated by a foul-line arc with radius of 26’3”.

LEGAL THROWS
Javelin shall be held only by the whip cord grip at the time the throw is executed. It may be held at the end of the grip even though one or more fingers and thumb touch the javelin shaft. The throw must be made from behind the scratch line arc and must fall within the sector made by extending the radii of the scratch line arc through the intersection of the arc with the runway lines. The thrower shall not permit his/her body to rotate through a full turn, 360 degrees, or more at any time during the approach or delivery.

FOUL THROWS
1. The athlete fails to exit the runway, under control, behind the foul line arc, and sector line, after the javelin has landed.
2. The competitor makes a 360 degree turn before the javelin is in flight.
3. The competitor uses a delivery other than an overarm above the shoulder motion of the throwing arm.
4. The competitor touches on or over either the runway lines, or on or over the scratch line arc with any part of the body before the throw is marked.
5. The javelin lands on or outside the sector lines.
6. The competitor fails to complete a throw within one minute after being called.

GENERAL
1. No tape, unless to cover an open would.
2. No gloves may be worn
3. A support belt may be worn.
4. Break ties with the next best performance.
5. All throws must be measured.
6. Competitors with be credited with the best of all throws
7. If the javelin breaks in the air, it shall count as a trial.

MEASUREMENT – shall be made from the nearest edge of the first point of contact by the javelin to the point of the inside edge of the circumference of the arc nearest such contact in line with the center of the circle 26’3” or 8 meters behind the arc. Measure to the nearest lesser inch or even centimeter using a non stretch tape. Read from the scratch line so the competitor will immediately know the results.